Canadian Team to Don New Livestrong Third Jersey for IIHF Women's Worlds

(Left to right) Gillian Apps, Meghan Agosta, Jayna Hefford and Tessa Bonhomme display the new Livestrong Jersey to be worn at the 2013 IIHF Women’s Worlds, Image obtained from Twitter, Photo by Business Wire

The opening game of the 2013 IIHF Women’s World Championships in Ottawa, Canada will feature the unveiling of a new third jersey from Nike that the Canadian women’s team shall wear. As part of a fundraising with Canadian retailer Sport Chek (called Fight With Us), proceeds of jersey sales and other related merchandise will support the Livestrong Foundation and the Canadian national women’s team's cause against cancer.

With the traditional Hockey Canada logo emblazoned on the front, the squad shall wear a black jersey with yellow trim. Canada shall don the brand new third jersey on April 2 in a contest against their biggest rival (and a possible preview of the gold-medal final), the United States.

Although the Canadian team have worn other third jerseys in the past (primarily with a black and red motif at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games), this marks the first time for the women’s team that a third jersey encompasses a charitable cause. With Nike having been a partner of Hockey Canada for nearly two decades, this groundbreaking jersey will carry a symbolic meaning for all players and fans alike who have had their lives touched by cancer.

The unveiling of the jersey featured Livestrong spokesperson Tessa Bonhomme, who has also been a member of the Canadian national women’s team since 2007. Joining her were fellow Canadian national team members Meghan Agosta-Marciano, Gillian Apps and Jayna Hefford.

Bonhomme was an inaugural member of Nike Team LIVESTRONG when the official announcement was made on February 4, 2012 (also known as World Cancer Day). The team features world-class athletes that have had their lives affected by the disease directly or indirectly. The cause helps to bring awareness through education, prevention and the drive for a cure.

Of note, Bonhomme’s grandmother was a breast cancer survivor and she has spoken publicly on helping to find a cure. She has also participated in events such as the CIBC Run for the Cure in her hometown of Sudbury, Ontario. Bonhomme has been part of two IIHF World Championship teams (2007, 2012) and claimed a gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

The Canadian contingent will be looking to claim their 11th gold medal since the tournament’s inception in 1990 (when Ottawa hosted the tournament for the first time). In all the years that the IIHF Women’s Worlds have been contested in Canada (1990 Ottawa, 1997 Kitchener, 2000 Mississauga, 2004 Nova Scotia, 2007 Winnipeg), Canada has always claimed the gold medal.